The Environmental Issues and Sun Protection

It is a popular belief that fair skin people especially Caucasians living in sunny climates need more sun protection than dark skin people. This might be right in a way, reason being that the damage done by excessive exposure to sunlight on fair skin people is more quickly noticeable. Sustained sun burn can be observed by the uneven coloration of their skin and in extreme cases there can be scaring and bleeding. This said, we shouldn’t be unaware of the Environmental and Climatic issues the world over. The term Global Warming is probably not an uncommon aspect to most people. Governments all over the world, as a matter of compulsion, sensitize their citizens about Global warming and its effects on the society.

World leaders have had series of meetings on this delicate issue “Global Warming” which is the depletion of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is the protective covering between the sun and the Earth, to prevent the direct penetration of the high intensity of the Sunrays, such as the Ultra Violet A and Ultra Violet B. The Ultra Violet A is the ray that causes tanning, but also too much exposure to it causes cancer.

The ozone layer has been compromised by Man’s domestic and Industrial activities, the advancement of technology such as the release of atomic and nuclear waste to the atmosphere. Most importantly, we as individuals contribute in no small measure to the depletion of the ozone layer. Indiscriminate burning of bushes and materials, fumes from our vehicles and the popularity of Air conditioning have contributed immensely to this Environmental condition.

Dark skin people possess more melanin which might save them from sun burn, but it does not protect them from the Ultra Violet rays which will compromise the Human immune system regardless of complexion. Melanin does not prevent ultra violet A and Ultra Violet B from penetrating into the skin. However Ultra Violet B which doesn’t penetrate deep into the skin may be dissipated but Ultra Violet A that goes deeper may not. The cases of dark skin people having cancer might not be popular in the past, but with the speed at which the ozone layer is being depleted, researchers claim that Ultra violet levels are increasing alarmingly which is directly proportional to an increase in risk of skin cancer. This means, that vulnerability to cancer in dark skin people is also being accelerated.

It is important that people of all colors live a more sustainable life style. Prevention, they say is better than cure. Therefore, it is important that people protect their skin regardless of complexion from these harmful emissions of the sun. Exposure to these rays is not limited to sunny days alone, they occur on cloudy days as well, so it is important that we protect our skin from these rays by the application of sunscreens. The use of sunscreen helps to safe guard against the harmful effect of these rays, therefore minimizing the resulting health defects and leading to a healthy life.